Finding Oneself
by SimplyIsabelleS
Summary: A mild crossover of Cinderella (only with the situation at the beginning), but has more to do with Fairy Tail. The summary is inside. May contain some mild swearing words. / The cover is a picture made by Milady666!
1. Get to know them

**SUMMARY:** Alyssum. Lucy's a girl which used to be the beloved daughter of a wealthy family, but it all ends when her mother dies. She lives with her evil stepmother and stepsisters who treat her as a servant. Lucy doesn't feel like she belongs there anymore. At the same time, right before the ball when he is to chose (reluctantly) a wife for himself before taking over the kingdom, prince Gray - a young and using his life and position - learns from the king and the queen he's not their biological son. That makes him feel like and outsider. He learns the truth about his extraction. The meeting of those two changes everything in their lives. More or less;P

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**This is a story which I started writing a while ago, but it ****totally****sucked****. But, since I started reading a fanfic of **_**punkbear1999**_** I decided to edit it and start over. So, big thanks to you for inspiration, and I hope you'll all enjoy it.**

**The story's a crossover from the Walt Disney's Cinderella, but the main characters – okay, okay, to be honest, all the characters, I'm such a crazy thing over them! – are from Fairy Tail. ****But****. The action is not going to be like in the fairy tale, and there's going to be… **

**Oh, wait. YOU'LL SEE :D**

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**Note:** I. Do. Not. Own. Anything.

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Once upon a time, there was a country named Alyssum. There was a small girl living there. She was a happy child with long blond curls on her tiny head, always smiling rosy lips, good natured and with a head full of strange and crazy ideas. Her name was Lucy Heartfilia.

Lucy was living within a wealthy and respected family with her parents. Jude and Layla Heartfilia were good people, but her father did not have that much time for his daughter and wife due to his obligations. It was only natural that Lucy was spending most of the time with her beautiful mother, who was considered by many the best person in a world. It did not matter if the weather was dreadful, or Layla was feeling bad, or there was something else for her to do on the request of Jude. Her daughter was a paramount thing in the woman's life and there was no way she would have ignored Lucy's ask to play.

Lucy reached happily the age of eight when her beloved mother fell ill. The medics were helpless. Jude started looking constantly worried, he even reduced his duties to minimum. Layla was suffering, but she never stopped smiling. Until the last day of her life, the last hour and the last words she said to Lucy she was cheery. The moment the woman stopped breathing was tragic for Lucy and her father. They both loved her and then she was gone.

Despite the circumstances, Jude did not move out and stayed with Lucy at the same place, burying his wife in the backyards of the possession. Lucy started a lonely life since Jude never had any time for her. What was worse, he became inaccessible and cold towards Lucy. The girl did not understand his behavior, he had been so loving before! But the worst was yet to come.

One day Jude came to his daughter's room and announced her she was going to have two sisters and a new mother from then on. The girl did not understand at first and asked him if he was joking. "Not at all!" her father was outraged. Lucy learned that he was going to remarry soon for her to have a mother and a company to play.

What was said, happened quickly. In a week Lucy was living with a nasty stepmother Minerva, who made her call her "Mother" and two stepsisters: Jenny and Sherry. They were almost the same age as Lucy, but from the very beginning treated her like an unworthy person.

The blonde, who was not used to that kind of treatment, was suffering and did not understand why they were making her feel like nothing. However, after a few years, she got partly used to it since there was not a thing she could have done. Soon, Minerva started calling her Cinderella, plus Jenny and Sherry followed their mother steps.

Not in a long time Lucy's real name had been forgotten and she became a mere Cinderella, who was doing _everything_ in the possession of Heartfilia family: cooking, cleaning, washing, shopping, taking care of the animals and doing everything to make the cruel stepmother satisfied with humiliating her stepdaughter – because that was exactly the main point of it. Nevertheless, receiving from the fate her mother's character, Lucy never complained, doing anything her new 'family' told her to do. Jude was never at home, working himself to death and not taking care of his once beloved daughter and the only living memory of Layla.

The girl did not have any social contacts anymore so books and imagination became her best friends. When she had some free time, she used to sit in her small room and read the romances she had found in a library when Minerva was absent. Jenny and Sherry never seemed to be interested in any kind of literature, well, maybe in the news from the fashion world. Both of the sisters were pretty, nonetheless, they were completely spoiled by their mother who was treating them like princesses. They enjoyed being treated better than Cinderella, and soon started to use her the way Minerva did.

One day, when Lucy was going to the town to buy some things in a market, she found a little white dog which was yelping quietly. The good-hearted girl decided to take care of it and took the dirty dog with herself. At first, Minerva went furious, yelling at Cinderella for bringing _the filthy piece of scrofula to the possession_. She threw the dog out, although it was not a day when it came back. The stepmother did not hesitate to outplace it once again, but it eventually got back again. And again. After the fifth time Minerva hissed to Lucy she could have kept it since there was nothing else she could have done. And that was the only reason she accepted the dog. The girl named it Plue. When she washed and brushed him it turned out to be quite cute and agreeable. It was pretty graceful as well and always followed Cinderella everywhere.

Jenny and Sherry made a huge fuss over the fact Cinderella got a dog. How come had she received something and they did not? So Minerva decided to buy them a cat, which they named Carla, more of a royal name than Plue. Carla was always looking on everybody from the top, being full of herself. And the person she definitely hated was – for sure to the Reader's surprise – Cinderella.

And that was the general sketch of Lucy Heartfilia's life, which changed from heaven to the complete opposite.

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Many years had passed. Lucy, alias Cinderella was 17 by then and nothing really changed since the arrival of the evil stepmother and the stepsisters. Well, she maybe had more duties since she was older and more responsible.

She was still in her room, getting dressed in an old dress and an apron. She put a dark babushka on her long, straight blond hair for them not to get n the eyes and looked outside of the window. She sighed. What a beautiful day…

"Cinderella, to my room! _Now_" Cinderella heard a subdued, sharp voice and sighed. Minerva. She had been calling her sometimes to her room in person when there was some bigger event coming and she wanted to asseverate the details of every thing to be done. And she had dared to think that was a pretty day just a moment ago…

The blonde refined her clothes and went out of the room. She ran down the stairs, hooking against the kitchen to grab a glass of water with a joice syrup for the stepmother and headed back, then turned into the second corridor. She went by the pair of doors and knocked on the third.

"Come in."

"Good morning, mother" said Lucy with a slight smile, bobbing. She approached half-laying woman with the glass. "You called me."

"Of course I did" said Minerva with a smirk from her bed, showing her stepdaughter with a chin a night table then crossed her arms. Lucy put the glass down on it and turned to the mother. She eyed up the girl and shook her head. "Anyway. Cinderella, do you know the news?" When Lucy shook her head, she knocked with her fingers on her arm. "Where do you live, you foolish child! This is the event of the year…! Hmpf. The king in three days organizes a ball for every lady in Alyssum. The whole kingdom will gather there. But that's not the thing."

"Yes?" Lucy asked, knowing well it was better to show interest.

"The prince is going to pick a wife for himself. And my plan is for him to marry Jenny or Sherry!" Minerva smiled evilly and smirked again. "That's why I want you to pay attention to the food you're preparing, not too fat for the girls. Moreover, take a look at their best dresses and wash them delicately, iron them and fix every flaw. Understood?"

"Yes, mother" answered Cinderella.

"Oh, and go to the town to buy some things. You will find a list in the kitchen" the woman said and took her glass of water. "Now, go. I don't want you here anymore."

Lucy nodded and left the room, closing the door. Well, if she wanted to make everything in time, she should have made some tea for her sisters, should have woken them up and after that the blonde needed to pay the town a visit. As Minerva had said, the full list of shopping was in the kitchen in a visible place. She smiled and turned the kettle on. Later she came closer to the corner of the room and leaned over the white dog. "Plue, wake up and keep me company as always!"

The dog moved and got up, overrunning. It barked and wagged its tail. "Good, Plue, let's have some breakfast, shall we?"

Lucy heaped some dog food into Plue's bowl and started humming to herself a well-known melody of a waltz. The water boiled, so she made the tea and put it on a salver. Then she winked at the eating dog and left to bring the tea to her sisters. When she reached the door of Jenny's room, she knocked and opened it.

"Hello, Jenny. Mother's saying you should wake up and take care of your toilette. Also, I brought you some tea" Lucy spoke up and entered the dark room. She left the salver on a table and approached the window. She caught curtains with both hands and moved them in the opposite directions to let the daylight in. Jenny, a tall and skinny young woman with long, waved blond hair shrieked and moved her arm on the face.

"That hurt! Cinderella, you moron. Turn it off! My beautiful eyes will get affected and…"

"I cannot turn off the sun" answered Lucy and took down one of the cups with tea. "Here is your tea, Jenny."

"Yeah, yeah, now get out" was the only reply and the blonde left. As every day. Not wasting any time, she opened the door on the opposite side of the corridor.

"Sherry?"

"What is it, Cinderella?" she heard a sleepy voice of Sherry. "Don't move the curtains. I don't _love_ the sun."

"Yes, I remember. Here's tea for you" Lucy put the tea next to Sherry's head and quietly went out of the room. She noted that she would have to clean it up. As soon as she reached the kitchen, Lucy got rid of her babushka and the apron. She hung them on the hanger and patted Plue. "Do you want to come with me on a walk?" The obvious answer was a bark and wag of the tail. The blonde smiled on the enthusiasm of her friend. Oh, well. At least someone was truly happy to be with her.

Lucy sighed and looked into the sky with sad eyes. She could not help the feeling that she did not belong to that world where she had used to live anymore. It had all stopped when Layla died. At one moment.

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"But Gray, you need to understand that it's important for papa and mama!" growled a pink-headed man with a strange expression on his face. "I don't like the idea of giving the kingdom especially to _you_, but if this is something you need to do for the sake of the country… I'd gladly do that."

"Please, stop that, Natsu. It's ridiculous. I know you would, but I'm not you" said rudely the man called Gray, rushing through the corridor and ignoring the people around him and the second man who were bowing down. "And thank God I'm smarter, if you think this is some kind of a game or fun…"

"Gray. We are the princes. _PRINCES_. We should be getting into the arranged marriages and, see, papa loves us too much to chose for us. And he's giving the ball for us to find a wife ourselves. Isn't it great?" Natsu was excited and tried to pass some of his energy towards Gray, but failed miserably.

"But I don't want to get married! I am a young man who wanted to taste some life before becoming a tangled husband with a bunch of noisy and beastly brats" Gray shook his head with angriness and barged into his room like a thunder. He threw himself on a bed, making a mess out of his tidied raven hair. "I just would like to be ready."

"Are you not?" chuckled Natsu and sat down beside him. "Look, I know that you want to use some life, but frolic with the maid – what was her name again, Juvia-chan? – is not something a prince should do."

"Said the guy who banged Lisanna-chan, who's, oh, right, a help from the kitchen" replied Gray harshly.

"S-shut up! How do you even…"

"Oh? Have my ways of getting information" he smirked. "Anyway, Natsu, don't be so optimistic about it. And I'm sorry, but there's no way I would chose a girl for the rest of my life now, on the ball, or in the kitchen. So stop bothering me and getting your ass everywhere."

"What did you say, you stripper?!"

"Who's a stripper?! Water-brained!"

"Squint-eyed!"

"Get out, idiot, before I kill you" hissed Gray, sitting with no shirt on his bed. The pink-headed man stood up and with an expression of angry primadonna he left the room of his brother. The brunet sighed and fell onto his sheets.

The law was wrong. And cruel. It was telling the prince should marry before he turns eighteen. What an idiot had ever come with such an idea?! But there was nothing he could have done. So he had to go on that stupid ball, had he not? _Oh, why am I the prince_… The sudden knocking on the door threw him out of his thoughts.

"Prince Gray" a bluenette maid blushed and bowed down. "The king orders you to come immediately to his chamber."

"H-have I done something wrong?" he shuttered, frowning.

"Juvia has no knowledge of that. But he looked seriously worried over something…"

"Thank you, Juvia-chan. I'll be going in a minute" he nodded and the girl left, visibly disappointed. Gray seemed not to notice, he tousled his hair and stood up. He put his shirt on and did a few rounds in his room. Then the brunet took a deep breath and went out.

"Erza, I don't think we should be telling him now" said the king, playing with his wife's hand and looking on the ground. "Why now? Why at all?"

"Because, Jellal, my love" Erza, the queen started, taking his face in both her hands and making him look at her. "He deserves to know. And he deserves to make decisions on his own."

"But how will he even take it?"

"Don't worry, Gray's going to get over everything" the queen laughed and kissed slightly her husband. He growled when she broke the kiss, but Erza shook her head and her lips went with the soundless word: later.

"You're right, Gray's coming any moment."

A few minutes later the door opened and the servant announced prince Gray. The king and the queen looked at each other and straightened a little, smiling with nervousness. Jellal was visibly anxious and could not find the right words to tell his son what he had to. What if he would have turned from them? Or do something stupid? The king sighed and spoke up. "Gray, good that you're here. Sit down with us, would you?"

"So formal, papa" the raven black-haired muttered, sitting in front of his royal parents and examining their faces. "What's the matter? You make it sound like I killed somebody!"

"Gray. It's not time to be joking" Erza gave him a scolding glance.

"I'm sorry."

"You see, son" started Jellal, rubbing his blue hair. "We want to tell you that we really love you before we say anything more. You are our child, our first son, you are our light in the eye."

"And it will not be easy to tell you the truth" added the queen, caressing her husband's hand. "But. Gray, we were living here for a long time. When we were younger, we were walking around the kingdom very much. And we had one place where we loved coming to…"

"A small lake" filled the king. "One day we heard a cry of a baby. It was truly extraordinary, so we explored and found a small boy in a basket, crying and probably starving. We were moved."

"So we took him" Erza's face lighted up and became softer when she smiled with tenderness. "We raised him as our son, and he will always remain like this. He is going to take over the whole kingdom, and rule the country as Jellal is doing now. Together with his wife."

"So, what we're trying to tell you, Gray" said the king. "Is that you're not our biological son. No matter how it sounds like, because in reality you are our beloved child."

The royal marriage fell silent, waiting for the raven black-haired man to say anything. When the silence was getting longer, they started to glance at each other with worry and question. Finally, the brunet spoke up.

"So I am not your son."

"Not exactly…"

"Okay. But why did you tell me?" he frowned and looked at his mother. "Mama?"

"Gray. You are a grown up man. You are capable of making your own decisions and getting along with any problems. On top of that, you are going to get married and rule the country. I think it's time you knew. You deserved it. The truth" answered slowly Erza, rising her head and holding back her tears. Her son was there, and she knew she could not have hugged him. That was something he had to endure on his own. "I know that right now you may not understand, but one day…"

"I understand. Excuse me" the prince said and got up. He slowly walked out of the room, leaving the door half-opened.

Jellal stood up and went to close the door. After that he turned around with painful expression. "You still think it was a wise decision?"

"Absolutely. He had to know" she answered, but her lips quivered and one of the holding tears went down her cheek to the chin and fell on her knee. The king approached her and embraced with his comforting arms and warmness.

"I hope you're right, Erza."

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**Hmpf. It's completely different than what I wanted to write. But it's your opinion which matters! Sooo, what do you think? :) I didn't want to make it too "epoch" so I made it in quite a present world. Huh.**

**Thank you all for your time reading this and if you review – thanks twice! :) Every feedback matters.**


	2. To fall in love, it takes just a moment

**All the characters belong to Hiro Mashima.**

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_**Note: I decided not only to mix the story with Cinderella, but also The Sleeping Beauty at one point, so don't be too surprised ;) and yes, I DO know all the fairy tales' Disney versions.**_

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_**2. To fall in love, it takes just a moment**_

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Prince Gray Fernandez, the older son of the King Jellal and Queen Erza, was wandering around the royal garden, walking between countless trees, sculptures and other strange inventions of his parents' architect, who was clearly a modernist, no two ways about it.

_So, that's it. Time to be wiser and grown-up_, he thought bitterly, stepping into another alley he knew by memory. The prince could not have understood his parents, being in such a hurry. The moment Gray would have married someone, they would have to stop ruling the kingdom and pass the throne to him. Or, like Erza's parents, rule the kingdom in four. _Foolish_, Gray shook his head and hit the nearby tree with his fist.

Suddenly, he felt some strange power inside of his body, something that diverged all over his vivo. He experienced an odd sensation of his blood freezing, seconds later changing into a feeling of being broken and destroyed into millions of small pieces of the ice. _What… What is that…_ Gray was breathing fast, holding his heart. A sickness? Or black magic casted on him?

"No, I need to get away from here. I need some time alone… Far away from here" he murmured to himself and straightened up. The young man turned right and hurried to the stables to get his horse. A stableman, who had noticed his prince, bowed down and took the saddle, but Gray lifted his hand and spoke: "No, I'll do it myself." The stableman, who was wise enough not to interfere with the visibly angered prince bowed down once again and disappeared, leaving the saddle on the hanger.

"Hello, Hielo _**(NOTE: hielo – read: yelo, means: **_**ice**_** in Spanish:)**_" the brunet approached the loosebox of his horse and stretched his arm to touch the animal. "We're going on a ride."

The horse stayed still as the prince was dressing it. Finally, he was ready to go and Gray took the animal out of the stable and jumped on its back. Then, without looking towards the castle, he goaded it with his calves and rushed ahead.

Gray was worried about bereaving him of freedom and youth, of course. However, it was not the only thing that he was concerned about.

_I am not the son of my parents_. The man did not care that Hielo was going on his own, almost out of his control, with no aim and extreme speed. He was a finding, an alien child, which was not even related with the royal family. Why, oh, why did they tell him the truth… It was more than he could have borne, too much for him to understand and accept at once.

_All those words, all those chambers, all those clothes, and people… They're nothing more than just strangers and things I shouldn't have and shouldn't know_, he thought, being at the edge of his sanity. _Natsu's the only righteous son of the King and the Queen…_No. It was simply too much.

"Woooh." He exclaimed with shaky voice, pulling the reins and managing to stop the wild gallop of Hielo. The horse exhaled heavily and started to pant. Gray sighed and leaned forward to pat it on the neck. "Easy, boy." He looked around just to realize he was in a completely unknown place. He had never travelled that far before. "Where am I?"

Gray decided to get down from Hielo and walk, however, when he put his feet out of the stirrups, the brunet froze, and so did the horse.

From a distance he had heard something strange… It sounded like a voice… A high voice of a singing woman… But it was impossible to hear it in the middle of the forest, which even he had never been in before… Right? _I must be imagining things_, he told himself, got down and hoisted up the stirrups. Although he was trying to convince himself that it was only a mishear, that it could not have been anything more than a bird, Gray heard the woman's voice for the second time. It was beautiful, almost too beautiful for it to be humane… But that time, he also understood the words.

"_And weeee will liiiiiveeee… Liiiiiike… Thiiiiis!"_

"Hielo. I hope you can hang in a little longer" Gray told the horse and readjusted the hoisted stirrups and jumped on its back again. The curiosity was consuming him from inside, and he just had to see the one who was making such magic with her voice. "Because we're gonna see who sings like that."

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A while ago, in the Heartfilia house a huge wrangle had taken place. Lucy, who had been the one at whom the two stepsisters had been yelling, had had to endure the full range of pretenses and shouts. When the quarrel had been over, she had been ordered by the stepmother to go to the village across the forest and bring some fresh milk and eggs for the cook. Little did Minerva know the whole scheme to hurt her unwanted stepdaughter was quite a relieving solution for Cinderella. The order had meant she was going to be away from that horrible house for a longer time. Cinderella had agreed in silence and had left the room, intending to take a basket and a cloak in case it was going to rain.

The very moment the girl had left the house, she had stopped being Cinderella and had turned to Lucy once again. She could have been herself, and let go of every worry which was accumulating on her loving and good heart.

"I think I won't be home earlier than tomorrow's midday" Lucy said to herself and inhaled the fresh air with pleasure. _Is this how freedom feels like?_ _I don't remember anymore_, she thought with a tone of sadness.

Yet, when Lucy wandered far into the forest, which became much thicker and the trees were growing closer to each other, she took off her hood and sighed out loud. She heard the small animals running somewhere to her right – she smiled and sped up herself. She heard some birds singing somewhere up high, and joined them. The blonde started to sing a song, which her mother, Layla, was singing for her when she was little.

The whole forest seemed to listen carefully to Lucy's singing, which was beautiful. Her voice was full of emotions, sad ones tangled with joy and happiness, which was gone for long by then. Lucy's dancing was light and full of grace, like the world did not exist anymore.

The disadvantaged girl finished the song with a long, high note and collapsed on the ground. She sat down on a small clearing and sighed loudly.

"But it'll never happen" she said to herself with such a heartbreaking face that even the trees stopped humming.

_Clap. Clap. Clap._

Lucy jumped onto her feet, ready to run away any moment. She looked around with fear and asked in a small voice: "Who's this?"

Behind her, there was a sudden rustle. She turned around quickly and froze. On the ground, leaning against one of the trees, there was a man. A man of raven black hair, dark, intelligent eyes and a handsome face. He started to get up and there was another movement beside him. The girl spotted a horse. _W-who is he… He looks so elegant, I wonder…_ The man smiled to her. And spoke up.

"It was beautiful, miss."

"T-thank you.. But, do I know you?" Lucy asked fearfully.

"Not yet" he hummed a little and started coming closer. She automatically took a step back and the brunet stopped. "No need to worry, I won't hurt you."

His voice was placatingly low.. Lucy did not have any choice. She would not have managed to escape – he had a horse and probably was a better runner… So she stopped and let him approach her. On the man's face there was curiosity and friendliness.

"You didn't run" he said with – was it possible? – a little bit of regret. "I'd catch you."

"There's no need, sir…"

"I'm Gray" he told her and bowed down in front of the girl.

Lucy's brain worked fast and she managed to remember all the lessons of etiquette her mother had been giving her and curtsied. "Pleased to meet you, sir Gray. I'm Cin… I'm Lucy."

"Lucy, huh? What a pretty name" he declared. Then he chuckled. "And I'm not a knight."

"Oh." She bit her lip, but did not correct herself.

"So, what are you doing so far away from civilization?"

"I-I'm going to the village" she explained and abruptly squealed. "I'm sorry, but I must go. Um… It was nice to meet you, sir…"

Lucy tried to back away, but the man reached out and his long, white fingers got hold of her wrist and turned her delicately, yet firmly. His dark, big eyes were piercing into hers, like he was trying to understand or explore something… The girl's cheeks flushed and a shiver went through her body. The man… Who had introduced himself as Gray probably mistook it as a tremble of fear and loosened his grip.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you, miss… It's just that I don't want you to go anywhere" he told her quietly.

"B-but I'm in a hurry…"

"I can take you to the village in half an hour. Just… I know I am a stranger to you, miss Lucy. But…" the brunet did not finish, although he obviously wanted to. His hold eased and Lucy seized an opportunity to run away, however, the man stayed in one place and did not even try to chase her… She casted an eye on the backwards. He was bowing and coughing, holding his stomach with an expression full of panic on his handsome face. Then he collapsed.

Lucy stopped, worry painted all over her face. It was a perfect opportunity to run away from the strident stranger… But right then he looked like he was in terrible pain, and she did not want him to die. No! He must not have been dead?! Her good nature won over self-safety reasonable thinking and she rushed back to the lying figure.

"Sir.. Sir Gray… Gray… Open your eyes!" she yelled and lifted his head, but he never responded. The blonde got onto her feet and went for the horse hidden in the bushes. The animal must have realized something was wrong, because it let her lead itself to its owner. "Hang in there, Gray… Sir…"

She gasped when tried to lift his body up. _No way, he's too heavy…_ Lucy cried in the air and tried again, this time with much of success, yet still not enough. When she realized there was no way for her to make it, she turned to the horse and tried to make it lay down.

"Come on, you understand me, don't you? Please, just get lower to take your master on the saddle…" she was moaning, but talking to the horse was almost like talking to the deaf. Well, unfortunately, it was not a fairy tale and she could not have talked to animals…

Lucy felt helplessness overflowing her heart and soul. Was there really nothing to be done? And that poor man was to die in the middle of nowhere? Despite him being the stranger, she started to cry, big tears rolling on her cheeks to the chin. All of a sudden, the girl heard the horse moving and when she removed her palms from the eyes, she saw it lied down and tried to help its master.

"Y-you must be trained to act this way… Right?" she asked in the space and slowly approached them. She made a real Herculean effort just to put Gray onto the saddle, but her guardian angel was with her that time and she succeeded. Fortunately, the saddle was big enough for her small hips to fit as well, so when the horse stood up, she put her foot into the stirrup and hopped up. How unbelievably lucky was she – or he – that in her childhood she was taking horseback riding lessons…! However, it was in a lady's saddle, not man's one… _How uncomfortable_, she thought and lifted up her dress_. How inappropriate, but if I don't do it, he'll die._

And that way, with the man hanging from the saddle and an unknown horse, with visible legs and her dress high up, Lucy Heartfilia rushed towards the nearest village to get some help.

* * *

"Please, Mrs. Porlyusica, please, help him" Lucy moaned, standing in front of the pink-haired older woman, who was standing in a position of await and looking from up at the girl cooly. "He'll die, please, Mrs. Porlyusica!"

"You understand how many people I see dying every day, Lucy?" she said emotionlessly.

"Yes! But…"

"But? Understand, child, that there's no but when death comes into your life."

Lucy bit her lip so hard that she was tasting her own blood after a moment. "So, there's no hope? I've brought him here for you to help, not to listen to your life advise…" she sobbed and added: "Please, Mrs. Porlyusica, you don't want to do it for me, fine. But look at him. He's so young, and there's something wrong with him… You don't even want to try…?"

The woman glared at her with inscrutable eyes, then silently passed by the girl and approached the horse. She touched Gray's forehead and tried to move him, but failed. "What are you doing?! Come here and help me, you little witch!" she yelled at Lucy who jumped, astonished, yet she ran to the healer and assisted in moving his body inside.

"Let's put him here" the woman showed a bed with her chin and they both transported him there. "Now, go and do what you were told to, and then come back. I'm not going to sit beside him on your account. Clear?"

"O-of course. Thank you!" Lucy stuttered and went out not to annoy the elder even more. She did not really understand it, but her whole heart wished for the Gray boy to recover quickly and be healthy. _He didn't do anything to me, although he had a few occasions… I suppose not all the strangers are the bad ones. _She smiled and went on with all the mantle.

* * *

Two hours later Lucy was going back to Mrs. Porlyusica's place. She was hoping to see that Gray had at least woken up. She was expected at home the following day, so there was no need to leave the village that day. What a relief it was for a young lady, who entered the house of the elder woman and headed right to the room where she had left the unconscious man.

And there he was. Laying with closed eyes, breathing rhythmically and tranquilly. Lucy took a chair and placed it on the height of his chest to look at him closely. The brunet did not have any bruises, his face was smooth and young. It was obvious that he had just became a man. Half-long, raven black hair were messed up on his forehead and chaotically set on a white pillow. Gray's face was truly handsome; big eyes, dark eyebrows, a nose, not too big, not too small, just ideal… And those lips, which were resting peacefully…

Lucy sighed and reached her hand to readjust his hair. They were soft and thick, which she did not expect. "Get better already" she asked him and took her hand away from his head.

"Oh, you. Lucy." The blonde heard and turned around to face Mrs. Porlyusica. "He's sleeping now. I don't really understand what's wrong with me, but he is attacked by some strange force inside of his organism… I think blood is being affected and that caused his loss of consciousness. I mean, sudden standstill."

"Oh, my goodness" Lucy covered her mouth with both her hands and faltered. "B-but… Will he be all right?"

"I don't know."

* * *

Blink. _There's something heavy on my eyes…_ Blink, blink. _No, there's nothing._ Blink, blink, blink. _Why can't I…_

Gray growled and forcefully separated his heavy eyelids. _Ouch_. The light hit his pupils, which from dilated suddenly went small and he lost his vision for a short while. He heard a movement to his right and turned his head that way.

The prince spotted a blonde girl, the one he had met in the forest, and the one of an adorable voice. Truth to be said, her whole appearance and behavior was angelic, and when that angel spoke up with that smile of hers, he felt his heart beat speeding up and something tickling in his stomach.

"You're awake."

"Lucy" he replied, smiling a little. "So you didn't leave me in the forest."

"How could I do this?" she shook her head and sighed.

"Thank you, miss Lucy" he uttered and looked around, perplexed. "Um… Where am I?"

"In the nearest village across the forest. I rode you here on your horse… And Mrs. Porlyusica, a healer, took care of you" she explained. Lucy started to stretch her hand like she wanted to hold his hand, but after all hesitated and took it away, ashamed. That young man really did remind her of her mother during the last days of her illness and before death. But he did not need to know such thing.

"I see" he murmured and closed his eyes once again for a moment. What was it, his hear would not have stopped pounding in such speed… "I'm sorry for wasting your time on me."

"There's nothing to apologize for" she opposed vividly. "You're only human. So am I. It's normal… Things like this happen."

_Amazing_, Gray thought and smiled to the girl. _She's simply amazing._ Out loud he said: "I guess you're right. Tell me, miss Lucy, where do you live? I will be able to take you home safely…"

"Oh, no, please, don't bother. I'll go back myself tomorrow morning" Lucy said rapidly, blushing and trembling. That was the last thing she wanted to do to him – to make him more trouble and be a burden.

"I insist!"

"But…"

"Please… Lucy" he looked deep into her eyes with such request that she could not have resisted. Especially when her name sounded so beautifully in his mouth.

"I… All right." She promised with red cheeks and turned her head away. However, she had a feeling that she will regret it – Lucy could not have told why and when, but her instincts were clear about that one.

* * *

The next day in the morning, Lucy and Gray left the healer's house. The prince spent some time with Mrs. Porlyusica alone, when Lucy was taking care of Hielo. Then they left, Lucy seated in front of the prince, who took his position as the equestrian, holding the reins. The girl was wearing stirrups in order not to fall down since it was her second time ever riding on the man's saddle. Not to mention her aching muscles and buttocks. On the other hand, he was more than sure to succeed in holding his place thanks to his knees, even without any outside helpers.

The young people were riding calmly, talking on unimportant topics. Lucy insisted on Gray leaving her in the clearing where they had met a day before. Soon enough, Hielo came on the clearing and stopped, pulled by the rider. He jumped off the horse and helped the lady stand on the ground.

"Thank you so much, sir…" she whispered when he took his hands from her waist. "I must return now. My stepmother will get angry if I don't get home soon and do some work…"

"I see. However, isn't it some work for the servants?"

"Oh, uh, I mean… Y-yes, of course…" Lucy stuttered and turned her head so that her hair hid her face from him. "So…"

The man took a deep breath, preparing himself to say something he had wanted to, he needed to… Before they parted. "Miss Lucy… I must confess of something" he cleared his throat and continued. "I'm someone, who you would never think I might be… I told you my name was Gray. Yet I didn't revealed my true identity."

"You're saying that your name is not Gray" she uttered.

"Oh, no, it is, indeed. However… Uh, how to put it… I am Gray Fullbuster, the first prince of Alyssum" the brunet stated with a serious expression. Then he looked at the wide-open eyed woman in front of him. "S-say something, please…"

"M-my prince…!" she squealed and tried to bow down, but he held her by the arms.

"_You_ do not bow down in front of me. You saved my life, miss" he told her. "Moreover…"

"M-moreover?" she made a soft voice, staring into his eyes. She felt the prince taking her hand and holding it in his both palms.

"Miss Lucy… No. Lucy. I know we've just met… Yet, I feel like I know you for a long time. And I feel… I don't know what I feel. What it is. I don't want to lose you. I don't want to let you go. However, I am the prince… And if my parents decide to pick a fiancé for me, there's nothing I can do… We may never meet again. B-but! I want you to know, I came to like you."

"Oh, sir!" Lucy blushed in the pure red of the darkest color Gray had ever seen. "I…"

"Do not _sir_ me, Lucy. I want…" but he never finished. Instead of doing so, he shook his head and pulled her to himself. Lucy felt his full, soft lips crushing into hers with such need and desperation that she moaned into them. _Wha-what is this!? What is this feeling?!_ At first, Lucy wanted to break free from his touch, but then she realized they would have probably never met again… And it felt so good! His moving mouth prayed for her respond, his long fingers clenched on her arms. Finally, Lucy tried to move her lips in the rhythm which Gray was enforcing. She had never been so happy before… Also, it was her first kiss.

After a long time he pulled away, craving for both air and to the kiss to never end. His sparkling eyes drowned into Lucy's brown irises. She was beautifully flushed, her lips still trembling.

"My prince…"

"Shh" he whispered and looked at her with request. "Please, just one time… Call me by my name."

"The first and the last time" the blonde laughed nervously.

"Lucy. Please."

"G-Gray…" she whispered.

"Louder." He asked of her, getting on Hielo with stony face.

"Gray."

"Louder." He turned his horse and started to ride away.

Lucy stood in one place with opened mouth and could not have voiced anything, until she saw his back disappearing. Then she cried: "Gray!" But the man had already been gone, leaving the girl feeling sad and abandoned. Although she knew that was the only possible way, it still hurt.

_And I'll never see him again_, she sighed dramatically.

* * *

**Sorry for the terrible break. I had so much to do, and I'm completely foolish, because I write so many stories at once. And I love all of them, so I can't abandon any of it. So, please, don't kill me.**

**I know that to love, it's a long process, but falling in love is something what just happens, right? And let's consider that the first sight love just happened to the prince and a poor Cinderella. Wait to see what will they do:)**

* * *

**Thank you or your reviews and support, it makes me very happy! And please, do review to share your impressions :)**

**Much love from stormy Poland!**

**Isabelle.**


	3. HOLIDAYS

**Guys. I ****do not**** abandon the story. Neither of them. I love them, and they become a very important part of my life. Along with all of you, my dear Readers, of course. However, I have holidays, and I'm at my cottage, where I hadn't had any internet, and now – tadaaaam! – there is some access, BUT. It's limited. So. I have no idea when the new chapter will be published. **

**Sorry for the inconvenience. And making you wait for it.**

**Love you all!**

**Izabela.**


	4. To the ball! Or not?

**Lalalaaaaa, I own nothing! :)**

* * *

_Note2: So. I've never really explained it, but this story came to life because of my little cousin, who asked me to write it:) she saw a few Graylu fanarts on my computer some time ago and, well… Like I mentioned before, this story sucked at first and I never publicized it nor showed it to her, but now, after some corrections and changes in the plot, it's at least readable. I feel like I own it to Daria, since she always asks for it. Still!_

* * *

**3. To the ball!... Or not?**

* * *

Prince Gray Fernandez came back to the castle with a heavy heart. He arrived at the spacious square leading to the stables and received a few deep bows from the people passing by, plus the servants currently present outside of the castle. Not even bothering to reply on their respectful gestures, he reached the stable and got down from the horse. Giving Hielo away for it to be placed in its box, he nodded at the stable master and departed to his chamber, longing for peace and solitude. However, under the door he met Queen Erza, who seemed to be extremely upset. Despite the urgency of being alone, Gray felt a little bit of shame and nervousness creeping into his heart while he was approaching her. After all, he had run away from the castle and had been absent for the whole night.

"Mother" the prince cleared his throat and bowed a little.

"Gray! Thank goodness" she cried and run to her son, almost losing her royality and grace, looking just like a mere, worried mother. Erza hugged him tightly and exclaimed: "Where have you been, child, we were losing our minds! We thought that someone kidnapped you or… Or even something worse has happened…"

"I'm fine."

"Where were you?" the Queen asked, slackening her grip and glaring at Gray severely.

"Um… Can we get inside of my room?" the brunet gazed around with abashment, then pushed the door. "I need to tell you something."

The Queen thought for a moment, then nodded and let herself be led. Gray closed the door carefully and turned around to face his disappointed in him mother. "Sit down, Mom."

Erza did as she was told to, still glaring at him. "What is it, Gray?"

The prince considered for a while whether he should have told her the truth, or lie, considering advantages and drawbacks of the consequences. At last, he decided to be truthful – his mother deserved honesty. "Mother. I… I've been on a ride, and I met a beautiful singing woman in the forest. I talked to her, and had a strange attack, which caused me to lose consciousness. Without the slightest hesitation (**AN: ekhm**.) she took me to the nearby village to be healed by a healer. I spent there a night, being cataleptic and being taken care of by that woman. And I came back as soon as I could have."

She gave him a serious look. "And that's the truth."

"Yes. I wouldn't lie to you."

"Very well" Erza Fernandez stood up, and hesitated. "I understand you had your reasons. Especially when I know, which ones… But. First, you're the _prince_, for goodness sake. This kind of behavior doesn't suit a royal. Secondly… Well. We still are your parents and we care about you. Don't do this anymore, would you?"

Gray could not have helped it and smiled. "Surely, Mom. And… thank you."

* * *

There was no mistaking it, the whole kingdom knew exactly _why_ the King announced a ball to take place within a week. The rumor was spread – a fiancée for the older son was to be found. Needless to say that every woman in the age still to be counted as at least 'quite young' in Alyssum was hoping to be lucky and be chosen by a young, attractive prince.

Moreover, all the members of the royal family started to gather in the palace, coming from all over the country. Prince Gray was forced by Erza and Jellal to greet every aunt and uncle of the family, giving great entertainment to Natsu, who, not brought to repeat his brother's gestures, was dying of laughter. And believe the poor raven-haired prince, row of missing, hardly kissable but going all for it aunties who had not seen one for ages was not the most pleasant way of spending time.

A day before the whole event almost the entire family had arrived. Furthermore, most of the decorations and general preparations were done. The only thing which was left for Gray to do was to wait.

Sadly enough, doing nothing more than walking and spending time at the chambers was said to undoubtedly be one of the things, which determined one to think more than he should have. Unfortunately, prince Gray was not any exception and proved the saying to be truth. Every time he closed his eyes, a picture of a blond girl with huge brown eyes, standing at the clearing appeared. Lucy. He had not even asked about her surname. Nor had he asked about her family…

Well. Maybe it was only for good. After all, he had started to like the girl, and in his current situation… Okay, in the whole situation and his status, he could not have let himself fall for anyone. Even girls with such pretty voices and faces.

The brunet sighed and tried to change the subject of his thoughts – without much success.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the Heartfilia Mansion there was an unusual commotion. Every service member had hands full of work – and a yelling Minerva over their preoccupied heads. Especially Cinderella was extremely busy, but handled it all quite well, probably because her mind had a chance of escaping the tiring reality. The most surprising meeting with prince Gray brought her a mixture of longings and happiness, pleasant dreams in the night and solitude during the day.

How remarkable, only one meeting was enough for Lucy to miss the young man in the future. It had been a week since she had met him, and her usual optimism was visibly lowered, especially her cheerful humor. Particularly when she had heard about the ball at the palace, on which a fiancée for the young prince would have been found. In addition, the blonde's spirit had died when the stepmother had approached her two days before, saying Cinderella was not going to the party. Asked about the reason, Minerva had listed all the home work to be done at the exact day, not before, then she had added with a mischievous smile that the girl would have never been ready on time with all of that.

Brokenhearted Cinderella had ran away to her room and had stayed there for the rest of the day, ignoring Sherry's and Jenny's cries for their usual treatment. That was not the time to be good and at their service, it would not have been humanly… And so Lucy believed there was nothing worse to happen. Was there no saying, which emphasized the meaning of bad situations which turned into the best ones? The lowest lows and the highest highs…

And guess what? And she was right.

* * *

On the day of the great event Cinderella was working hard on her assignments given by Minerva. She was fairly desperate to finish everything on time in order to, at first, show her stepmother what was that she could have done, and, more importantly, to get to the palace. There was no way in hell she would have missed the opportunity to see Gray for, which was mostly probable, the last time.

So, when the whole labor was done, she departed to her room to start the preparations for the evening. She checked the time – very well. There were two hours left before the ordered carriage would have arrived.

Cinderella took off her dirty old clothes and went into her own bathroom, given to her with the bad grace by the meaning of it being old and far away from the rooms of the stepsisters. Taking a shower had never felt so relaxing and refreshing. Lucy sighed and thought about her creation for the ball.

_Layla, her mother took little Lucy to a dress shop at the town. The small girl watched as an expedient approached them, then on her mother's order was taking out lots of fabrics in all the colors of the rainbow. The beauty and intensity of the colors were astonishing, especially when Lucy was let to touch every one of them. Finally, Layla chose the one of the color of sapphire and explained the details of a dress to have been made. Two months later the exact dress was delivered to the mansion._

_Layla, asked by her daughter about the reason of hiding such a beautiful cloth to the wardrobe, laughed and explained that the dress was for a precious someone right when she would have turned seventeen._

However, when Layla had died, Lucy had received the dress earlier, which had caused her decision to treasure it. And, at last, at that day Lucy was ready to wear it, throwing away the dirty clothes of Cinderella.

* * *

Minerva Heartfilia was standing in front of a mirror inside of her chamber, admiring the creation which she had ordered several days before. Indeed, it fitted her just perfectly. She hoped to be a star of the evening, and catch the precious attention of the prince in order to present her two daughters to him.

The woman smirked. She did not make any mistake. Two daughters. She did not have any more, especially not that servant-like, annoying little girl, who definitely thought of herself as someone important. Oh, how much time had she spent to prove to Cinderella she was worse and unaccepted! Although her trials were never fully successful, the Lucy she used to be was gone, to Minerva's greatest content.

There simply was no way she would have let Cinderella go to that ball.

A noise made by Jenny and Sherry caught her attention. She quickly checked the time and to her surprise discovered there was ten minutes more until the carriage came. Minerva nodded and glanced at her reflection for the last time before leaving the chamber.

"Now, girls. Calm down, who'd take such a noisy woman for his wife?" the woman entered salon where two sisters were sitting and arguing about some piece of jewellery. They got quiet at once, glaring at their mother with annoyance.

"Mother, I want that necklace, it suits my dress…" started Jenny, until Sherry cried:

"But it's better for me, it suits my additions!"

"Silence" Minerva growled. "Do you have no shame? Just put it away if you can't agree on that…"

The brunette rolled her eyes and turned around just in time to see a picture which made her open her mouth, frozen.

Apparently, Cinderella managed – only goodness knew, how – to finish everything on time and went down from the stairs, looking… Exactly. Looking stunningly beautiful. And, what was more, ready to go to the ball.

"Cinderella." Said Minerva at last, anger slowly taking over her. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Mother. You told me that I must do all the things before going out, and I did" Lucy smiled, standing right next to Sherry.

"Mother, how did she get such dress?!" Jenny cried with jealousy.

"It's better than ours!"

"Cinderella" started Minerva, gazing at her stepdaughter in deep thought. "You did not finish everything on time."

"How so? I swear I…" Lucy stuttered, the smile disappearing from her lips.

"No. You forgot about such thing as fastening the curtains…" and the woman moved her hand, ripping it in the middle. "Or cleaning the corridor, which is dirty…" Jenny stood up and broke a plant, the dirt and mug went all over the floor. "And your dress… It's not usable. Haven't you noticed it's ripped?" Sherry smirked and went behind Lucy's back, tripping over the long dress and ripping it, just as said. As a final point Minerva glared at the desperate, tearful Cinderella with triumph. "See? You stay here."

The evil woman watched as Cinderella hid her face under both palms and ran out of the salon, sobbing. A little smile crept onto her thin lips.

_Mission accomplished._

* * *

In the meantime, Lucy ran to the garden, crying her heart out. The most precious evening, the dearest things for her were destroyed right in front of her eyes. The Layla's dress, the plans to see Gray for the last time, and a chance of change of fate for her… They were all gone.

"What have I done to get this all" she sobbed.

By the noises from the road she recognized that the carriage had arrived and the earsplitting part of the family departed, leaving Lucy in despair all alone. _No salvation, there's nothing like this now_…

Suddenly, the silence of the surrounding was disturbed. The blonde stopped crying and lifted her head, listening, but the sound did not repeat itself. _Strange, I'm sure I've heard something_… she thought, then shrugged her shoulders and sat at the ground, pale and numb, drowning in the sea of miserable thoughts and unpleasant emotions.

_Thump._

Lucy ignored the sound, ready to swear it was made by her imagination.

_Thump. _

Was it her, or it – whatever it was – came somewhat closer?

_Thump. _"Ekhm, ekhm."

The blonde's head jerked up and turned sharply in the direction of the source of sound. To her surprise, Lucy encountered a real person, to be exact a woman standing a few steps beside her. The woman had pink hair, big eyes and a serious expression on her face. She was not stout, and looked rather like a girl her age. However, by the mature look in her eyes Lucy was sure she was not.

"W-who are you?" the blonde asked nervously, slowly standing up on her feet.

"My poor Miss. Please, don't cry" the stranger said with a nice, quite cold voice, bowing down before continuing. "I'm Virgo, a… Let's say, a Spirit which duty is to protect you."

"Spirit? Like a Good Fairy?"

"Not exactly" Virgo shook her head.

"Then you can't help me" sighed Lucy and lowered her head.

"You're wrong. I can help you."

"How?"

"First of all, I think I should provide you of some new dress. Here, put this on" Virgo said and a beautiful red cloth appeared in her hands. Lucy cried and jumped back, surprised.

"H-how…?!"

"Miss, there's no time. Put it on. Do you need me to assist you?"

"Um, n-no…" answered the blonde, taking the dress. She moved further from the Spirit and quickly changed. To her astonishment, the dress was fitting her perfectly, like it had been projected just for her. "Oh, my…"

"Miss" called her Virgo and eyed her up and down. "You look amazing. Now, let's go! We are already late."

"But there's no cart, and we don't have any horses…" pointed out Lucy.

"Ah, but we do. Look" the pinkhead nodded towards the entrance, where, to the girl's greatest shock, was standing a carriage with four white horses. "Cancer is also waiting inside to prepare your hair."

Lucy remained silent, not sure whether words would not have failed her. It was like a dream, magic and her mother in heavens knew what more. She let Virgo take her to the vehicle and smiled a little at the strange man in dark glasses, who bowed his head at her sight and took out scissors.

"Lucy-ebi" he said, or rather whispered in a hoarse voice. "Please, get inside, there's no time to waste anymore. I'll do your hair in there."

"But do they need to be done, Mister?" asked confused Lucy, her hand went to the hair and stroke them uncomfortably. Moreover, how did he knew her name?

"I'm Cancer. No Mister. Ebi" he corrected her and opened the door of the carriage. Lucy decided to obey his request and lifted the bottom of the dress she was wearing. The inside seemed much bigger from the perspective of actually being there than from outside. It was painted in the whitest tone of white, bedecked with golden straps and decorated with delicate leaves. The whole thing was simply breathtaking to Lucy, who had lived her last years as a servant.

"Amazing" she whispered and sat at one of the benches with delicacy, afraid not to damage anything. The moment she was safely placed on the seat, the door were shut and the whole vehicle moved ahead.

"Here, turn your head this way" told her Cancer and stood as much behind her as he could have. She felt her hair being moved and modeled in different, strange directions, but never protested.

Meanwhile, Virgo started to explain to her a few things. "First of all, Miss, you need to remember about being extremely careful. The dress cannot be ripped, because the material it's made of will simply melt in the air, disappearing and leaving you in your underwear."

"W-what?!"

"Next, your boots are made out of glass. Don't break them, it would be dangerous and would damage your feet."

"Who's making such strange and impractical things!" Lucy exclaimed and shook her head, making Cancer warn her not to repeat the action as long as she could have. "Sorry."

"Lastly, and more importantly, Miss, you can fidget all you want, however, when the midnight will be stricken, you must run away as fast as you can. Or even before the midnight. The magic will be all over by then, and you'll become the mere Cinderella once again" Virgo the Almost-Fairy finished, nodding slightly at Cancer. "That's enough. She already looks like a princess."

Cancer bowed down and backed away, admiring his work on Lucy's head. The blonde had her hair curled, partly held by a hairpin in a shape of butterfly. The blonde, who did not have the slightest chance of reckoning what were they talking about, only smiled gracefully.

"Thank you so much, Cancer."

"You're welcome, ebi. Now, excuse me since I'm no longer needed" the man put his thin hand onto his heart, bowed a little and… Disappeared, leaving Lucy in utter shock, staring at the place he had been standing the previous moment. She caught a glimpse of Virgo, who did not even change her calm, peaceful facial expression, like disappearing in front of one's eyes was the most natural and mere thing in the world, then returned to goggling at the place, where Cancer had been sitting. Abruptly, a sound of cleaning a throat disrupted Lucy's thoughts.

"I shall return as well, Miss. Good luck." Virgo spoke up, repeating the gesture of Cancer from before his evaporation, then suddenly smiled a little. "You look beautiful."

"T-thank you, Virgo" Lucy got out of her squeezed throat and, once again, observed as the Spirit vanished in the middle of the carriage, just as her colleague. Apparently, the blonde was expected to get used to it.

Eventually.

* * *

**Sorry for the late (and rare) updates, but I'm on holiday at my cottage, where – unless I'm sitting on the roof – the internet is a piece of s*** and it's slower than a turtle… Or Natsu who just got off the train and tries to run… Huh, even walk.**

**Anyway. I'll try to post the next chapter faster, but I can't really promise you anything.**

**What's more, I didn't have time to proofread the whole chapter, so excuse the mistakes, and let me know by a PM or in the review, 'kay? I'd be very grateful!**

**As always, some feedback's more than welcome :)**


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